Kodai Senga is “scheduled” to pitch in some capacity in Game 5, manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday night.
What that entails exactly is uncertain.
The Mets manager said Senga could be used out of the bullpen if he doesn’t start.
Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets reacts in the dugout. Charles Wenzelberg/New York PostDavid Peterson also is an option to start, depending on if he is used in relief in Game 4 on Thursday night.
“It depends how we get there,” Mendoza said before the Mets were crushed, 8-0, by the Dodgers in Game 3.
Senga was shaky in the series opener, allowing three earned runs in 1 ¹/₃ innings of work while walking four.
He has thrown just 8 ²/₃ innings all season after missing time with calf and shoulder injuries.
Still, Mendoza clearly believes in him.
Kodai Senga throws a pitch in the first inning of the Mets’ Game 1 blowout loss to the Dodgers. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post“He’s an ace, man. This is a guy that we saw making a start against the Braves, and he was lights-out,” Mendoza said. “He pitched against the Phillies, and when he’s throwing 96, 97 — there was one pitch where [Kyle] Schwarber got him, but other than that he was pretty good. I’m pretty confident giving him the ball.”
Senga only threw 30 pitches in Game 1, but he did get in more work in the bullpen after he was pulled.
Mendoza said the hope is Senga could go four innings if he does indeed get the start.
Brandon Nimmo is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, but he remained the starting left fielder Wednesday and went 1-for-3.
He is playing through discomfort and pain.
“I think it’s a day-to-day-type deal. I will check with him after every game,” Mendoza said. “He’s going to be honest with me. If he feels like he cannot go, he’s going to let me know. And then I’m going to have to make some adjustments.”
Mendoza made a change at designated hitter, giving J.D. Martinez his first start of the series in place of Jesse Winker, although Winker had good numbers against Dodgers starter Walker Buehler (four hits and two home runs in 15 at-bats).
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During the year, left-handed hitters crushed Buehler to the tune of an .890 OPS. Righties were pretty good, too, with an .833 OPS.
“We’re looking at a lot of things, not just OPS,” Mendoza said. “We’re looking at pitch movement, pitch uses, swing path from our guys, how they’re attacking some of the righties, how they are attacking some of the lefties. There’s a lot that we look into it. And I feel like today was a good matchup for J.D.”
Martinez walked twice, but also struck out with two runners on to end the third. Mendoza hinted that Martinez would start again in Game 4, since Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is tougher against lefties than righties.
Mendoza gave “consideration” to going with Jeff McNeil at second base rather than Jose Iglesias, who is hitting just .225 in the postseason without an extra-base hit, but opted to keep the status quo.
Iglesias singled in four at-bats and hit into a double play with two on in the sixth.






